1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to receptacles for holding medications and more particularly to a tamper-resistant, tamper-evident pill bottle with an integrated combination lock and a method for using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Over the past several decades and over the last several years in particular, the incidence of prescription drug abuse has increased at an alarming rate. It has become a regular occurrence for young people to steal prescription medications such as pain relievers, stimulants, and sedatives from family members and to subsequently distribute and abuse such medications for pecuniary gain, recreational use, and for perceived benefits such as weight loss or improved brain function. It is commonly believed by those who engage in such activities that prescription medications are safer than illicit drugs because they are regulated by the government and are dispensed by pharmacies. In reality, prescription medications can be, and often are, addictive, physically harmful, and even deadly when abused by individuals who come into possession of such medications without an appropriate prescription.
One factor that has contributed to the rise of prescription drug abuse is ease of accessibility. Surreptitiously acquiring prescription medications typically requires no more effort than locating a pill bottle in the medicine cabinet of a friend or a family member. If there is a significant quantity of medication left in a particular bottle, it can be very easy for a perpetrator to remove several pills from the bottle without arousing the suspicion of the owner, who will generally not notice the missing quantity. It would therefore be advantageous to have a means for effectively deterring the theft of prescription medications. It would further be advantageous to have a means for making the theft of prescription medications evident to the owners of such medications.